"66 Days on Route 66," a documentary about Australian folk-rocker Grayson's musical tour of Route 66 in 2011, will make its debut on iTunes on Thursday, reported the Newcastle Herald in Australia. The film's world debut on the Fourth of July was intentional, methinks. Hopefully, American readers will be able to download or rent the … Continue reading Rocker’s Route 66 documentary debuts on iTunes tomorrow
Cucamonga Service Station supporters win tax break
A group that wants to preserve the historic Cucamonga Service Station in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., was awarded a property-tax break from the city, reported the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. The money saved will be used to help restore and maintain the Route 66 landmark, the group said. The group hopes to turn the site into … Continue reading Cucamonga Service Station supporters win tax break
Solar plant near Daggett may be upgraded
A concentrated-solar power plant just off Route 66 in Daggett, Calif., is nearing its 30th year, and its owners say they want to improve it so it can operate for a few more decades, according to a story by Clean Technica. From the story: The plants use parabolic trough technology that uses curved mirrors to … Continue reading Solar plant near Daggett may be upgraded
Boots Motel neon sign glows again
After a complete restoration, the vintage sign at the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., again is glowing with neon light nightly. Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce, who's also done much restoration work on the Route 66 motel, says the sign is being "beta-tested" until mid-July "when it will be officially turned on … Continue reading Boots Motel neon sign glows again
Writers drive part of Route 66 in a Ford plug-in electric hybrid
A writer from the Montreal Gazette and his son drove from St. Louis to Tulsa on Route 66 to test-drive Ford's new Fusion Energi car -- a plug-in hybrid that runs on electricity and gasoline. Most of the article was a travelogue -- mentioning landmarks such as Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, Meramec Caverns, Wagon Wheel … Continue reading Writers drive part of Route 66 in a Ford plug-in electric hybrid
Bill Shea Gas Station Museum now open by appointment
Bill Shea's Gas Station Museum along Route 66 in Springfield, Ill., is now open by appointment with help from the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau after being closed for much of the late winter and spring. The increasingly frail Shea, 91, was admitted to a nursing home in December. His son, Bill Jr., closed the … Continue reading Bill Shea Gas Station Museum now open by appointment
The story of Tulsa’s El Rancho Grande restaurant
Mark Brown at This Land Press wrote a long piece about the history and amazing consistency of Tulsa's first Mexican restaurant, El Rancho Grande, which still serves customers on 11th Street (aka Route 66) more than 60 years after it opened. The whole thing is worth reading, but here are a few nuggets from it: … Continue reading The story of Tulsa’s El Rancho Grande restaurant
Let’s lobby for Route 66 half-dollar coins
A writer for Numismatic News, a magazine about coin collecting, is lobbying Congress for a series of Route 66 commemorative half-dollar coins that would be minted in 2016 -- the 90th anniversary of the Mother Road -- and is advocating others to lobby for them as well. Mike Olson, who is a member of the Citizens … Continue reading Let’s lobby for Route 66 half-dollar coins
“Yukon’s Best Flour” sign is restored
The iconic "Yukon's Best Flour" sign on top of the flour mill on Route 66 in Yukon, Okla., was glowing again Friday night during a relighting ceremony, according to KFOR-TV in nearby Oklahoma City. The 42-by-55-foot sign reportedly is seen better than ever, because the lighting used is LED. Not only do LED bulbs last … Continue reading “Yukon’s Best Flour” sign is restored
Footage from the Bunion Derby
Here's rare footage of runners participating in C.C. Pyle's International Transcontinental Foot Race, aka the Bunion Derby, in 1928. Two-thirds of the Los Angeles-to-New York race took place on a fledgling Route 66. The footage is an excerpt from the Solomon Sir Jones Collection at Yale University. Jones was an African-American preacher who took his … Continue reading Footage from the Bunion Derby